TAHIR AMIN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Textile City Limited (PTC) has approached Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textiles, Industries and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood for immediate release of its employees’ salaries, which have been pending for the last 21 months.

It is learnt that owing to non-payment of salaries for the last 21 months, the PTC employees have been suffering greatly.

According to a letter written to the adviser, a copy of which is available with Business Recorder, the PTC stated: “This has reference to our earlier request made during your visit at Pakistan Textile City regarding non-disbursement of our salaries for the last 21 months.”

In 2016, the prime minister had approved in principle the voluntary winding-up of the Textile City Project and ordered the transfer of the company assets to the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) after due process. As per the decision, the PQA is responsible to settle all liabilities including staff salaries out of its own resources since it would have beneficial use of the land.

However, in spite of various meetings held among the PQA, National Bank, Ministry of Textile and Ministry of Finance, the transfer process could not be finalised due to non-settlement of loan issues with the NBP and the matter remained unresolved as well as salaries were not released by any one as yet.

“Now, after your visit at the Textile City, it is learnt that the project is going to revive and funds for our salaries are requested from the federal government through the Ministry of Textile which is under approval from the Prime Minster Office.”

“Due to non-payment of salaries, we are leading a very miserable life. Our families’ life as well as children education is totally disrupted. We are now unable to manage and face this difficult situation,” maintained the letter.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had approved winding up of the PTC after clearance of the company’s liabilities and transfer of its land to the PQA.

The company faced with financial hardships was considering selling of its 200 acres of land to K-Electric for setting up a coal-fired power plant. A summary was moved to the ECC in this regard and, in response, the former prime minister ordered the winding up of the company after completing the necessary requirements, including clearance of liabilities.

However, after coming into power Dawood during his visit to Karachi met the chief executive officer PTC and discussed the reasons for winding up of this important venture by the former government. As the adviser returned from Karachi, he sent a summary to the prime minister who is also minister in-charge of ministries of commerce, textile, industries and production and investment, seeking his approval to send a summary to the federal cabinet for revival of the venture.